NEW YORK -- Henrik Lundqvist has won an Olympic gold medal and a Vezina Trophy. He has led the NHL in shutouts twice. Sometime next season, he figures to become the New York Rangers' winningest goaltender. He needs 25 victories to tie Mike Richter. He is one away from matching Richter in another category.

"The ultimate goal for Hank, in his mind, is to win the Stanley Cup," Rangers coach John Tortorella said after Lundqvist recorded his seventh career playoff shutout, making Derick Brassard's goal stand up on Sunday afternoon to send the first-round series between the Rangers and Capitals to a decisive Game 7 on Monday in Washington. "But you need to go through these type of situations to get there obviously. So I thought he stood in there last year for us and he certainly came up big tonight."

Lundqvist, who had three shutouts in last year's playoffs as the Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, made 27 saves on Sunday to keep this year's dream alive. It was not the most pressure-packed performance that the 31-year-old netminder has ever faced, but he did have a lot of work to do in the third period, when the Capitals had 12 of their shots.

Generally, Lundqvist was just solid, and it was a day when it was going to take either something special, or a fluky bounce, to beat him. Washington came up with one sterling example of each -- an Eric Fehr shot in the third period that Lundqvist had to snag with his glove, and a puck played by Mike Ribeiro that Lundqvist saved after it deflected off New York defenseman Steve Eminger.

Alex Ovechkin may have had the Capitals' best chance for a goal, as he managed to successfully deke Lundqvist, but his effort in the second period went for naught as the puck got away from him.

"I just missed the net, unfortunately," said Ovechkin, who had five shots on goal. "That position, you have to make decision quick. I think I make a right one, but I missed it. ... Everybody knows he's a great goalie. The chance what we have, we created. We just have to do the same thing tomorrow."

Even if the Capitals ramp up their offense, there is no guarantee that they will be able to beat Lundqvist, who has a .941 save percentage in three career Game 7 appearances. If ever the Rangers needed their goaltender to steal them a series, it is this one, in which they have scored more than one goal in a game only twice through six games. The problem for Washington is that Lundqvist not only doesn't mind such a challenge, he embraces it.

"In a big game like this you don't want to fall behind early so that's what I focus on," Lundqvist said. "As the game moves on I can see the way (Braden Holtby is) playing in the other net, we had a lot of great chances, especially in the second period but he kept it 1-0. Then I know I have to be sharp. You put a little extra pressure on yourself."

As if the playoffs required any extra pressure -- but that seems to drive Lundqvist, who went 10-3-1 with a 1.76 goals against average and .934 save percentage in April as the Rangers clawed their way into the playoffs. In this series, he has a .937 save percentage. At even strength, he's at .947, and that was part of the difference on Sunday as the Rangers did not concede a power play to the Capitals.

"We showed a lot of character and we worked really hard," Lundqvist said. "The last couple shifts, it was that type of game tonight where we paid the price, big blocks and played physical all night. Great win."

Now, Lundqvist and his teammates have to follow it up with another one in order to advance to the second round. Game 7, extra pressure, just the way Lundqvist seems to like it.

"You make your legacy as a player in these types of situations," Tortorella said. "A number of our guys last year had a blast playing in these games. Some guys handle it and some guys don't, but that's what you play for, to get yourself in this type of situation and see what type of character you have, as a player individually, and as a team."